While Illinois Rep.-Elect Derrick Smith, who has been indicted and expelled from the General Assembly, says he is now a â€œnew manâ€ given his trouncing of attorney Lance Tyson who reportedly did not live in the district, Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White Saturday is outraged over his victory saying it gives the people of Illinois â€œa black eye.â€

â€œItâ€™s not only what he did but his history. He has a checkered past,â€ White told reporters after attending the City of Chicagoâ€™s annual Veterans Day Commemoration Ceremony held at Wabash and Wacker Streets.

Referring to the Illinoisâ€™s 118 House members and the Senateâ€™s 59 senators, White asked, â€œWhy would the federal government seek him out to give him an opportunity to receive $7,000 in the form of bribery? They undoubtedly knew what I knew but yet it wasnâ€™t properly conveyed to the people of the district,â€ White said.

When told that some legislators are meeting to figure out what can be done to prevent White from taking office in January, White said, â€œThat I donâ€™t know, but I wish them well because the people on the West Side of Chicago have paid their fair share of individuals who have been in violation of the law. Pretty close to 12 of them have been indicted, gone to jail or in the process of being indicted. Enough is enough,â€ White said.

â€œItâ€™s a black eye for the people of this wonderful state of ours. Itâ€™s a black eye for the people of the district,â€ he said.

Asked if they should oust him again, White said, â€œWhat ever they an do because I donâ€™t want to be a part of history where a gentlemen who has been indicted, arrested for taking a $7,000 bribe I think itâ€™s the wrong message to send to young people, other constituents of the district that itâ€™s Ok for you to take a bribe and you walk around and say, â€˜well, a man is innocent until proven guilty.â€™

â€œThere is a lot of history when it comes to Derrick Smith and if I had known then what I know now, I would not have been a part of helping him get the appointment and I would have disassociated myself from him,â€ White told reporters.

Chinta Strausberg is a Journalist of more than 33-years, a former political reporter and a current PCC Network talk show host. You can e-mail Strausberg at: Chintabernie@aol.com.

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Welcome to CopyLine Magazine! The first issue of CopyLine Magazine was published in November, 1990, by Editor & Publisher Juanita Bratcher. CopyLine’s main focus is on the political arena – to inform our readers and analyze many of the pressing issues of the day - controversial or otherwise. Our objectives are clear – to keep you abreast of political happenings and maneuvering in the political arena, by reporting and providing provocative commentaries on various issues. For more about CopyLine Magazine, CopyLine Blog, and CopyLine Television/Video, please visit juanitabratcher.com, copylinemagazine.com, and oneononetelevision.com. Bratcher has been a News/Reporter, Author, Publisher, and Journalist for 33 years. She is the author of six books, including “Harold: The Making of a Big City Mayor” (Harold Washington), Chicago’s first African-American mayor; and “Beyond the Boardroom: Empowering a New Generation of Leaders,” about John Herman Stroger, Jr., the first African-American elected President of the Cook County Board. Bratcher is also a Poet/Songwriter, with 17 records – produced by HillTop Records of Hollywood, California. Juanita Bratcher Publisher